I finished it today...well at least the batik part! I haven't decided what I will make with it yet.

The colors turned out nothing like I expected, but I like it anyway.



Here is a close up of the face...







Comments?

If this is RED, then I think I must be color blind! It is a dark ORANGE!!!! Oh, the wrath of the "Dye Gods"... so on to plan "B". I waxed the so called red parts and have decided to add another step...its going into a brown dye to tone down the red-orange. Then on to black. I have a feeling that the black will only be dark brown. So be it, this will be one that is in the warm colors of autumn...

The tools of Batik... While my batik is still soaking in the red dye, I thought I would post a picture of the supplies I use when batiking:

I heat the wax in an old pan and an old electric frying pan. I've used the same brushes for years, they look gnarly, but once they heat up and the old wax melts, they work just fine! I like to use a blend of paraffin and beeswax. I have some tjanting needle tools, but I don't think they are as precise as using a brush. I always cover an old canvas board with paper and put my fabric over that, while applying the wax. It is easier for me to hold while I'm working!

Today I dyed the orange part of the cat design on my batik and got those parts waxed. Thank goodness it is a warm and breezy day! It only took about an hour for the batik to dry outside. Here is a pix of the progress on it.

All of the "dots", cheeks and the irises should stay orange. I now have it in the red dye bath. Hope to have it out and drying by the end of the day. Its looking pretty good at this point, don't you think?

Alrighty, I just finished my first color, yellow and have applied the second waxing. The first waxing was over just the white fabric, and the second waxing is over what I want to stay yellow. It is looking pretty good, I think....hope the orange tomorrow looks as good!

Just in case you don't know what batik is, it is the process of applying wax and dyes to fabric creating a design. I have been doing batik since my high school days and haven't done one for a couple of years. I just love the art of the late Laurel Burch and I'm doing one reminiscent of her "felines". Here is the sketch I used for the fabric...

Wish me luck on how the dyes take on this project!